November 20, 2012

Design Inspiration – Less Is More

I don’t know what gave me my fascination with design. It is
a skill, an eye, an aesthetic…a calling. It’s been over a year since I posited
the following in this space regarding our SolidWorks training programs:

“…perhaps we’ve taught you some software tips you’ve not
discovered elsewhere. Perhaps we’ve made you a more efficient designer by
teaching you workflows that have saved you time. Perhaps we’ve even allowed
your company to reduce costs or time to market by helping you best utilize the
file management, prototyping and simulation tools available to you in
SolidWorks.

But have we made you a better designer?”

At that time I spoke of devoting your topical reading, such
as this very blog, to not only inform yourself, but inspire yourself. Have you
ever seen a product or piece of equipment that amazed you? Confounded you? I am
particularly impressed by modern cell phone design, having spent much of my
career designing those devices when they were (ahem) a bit larger.

If you’ve ever heard of Dieter Rams, the German industrial
designer, then perhaps you’re reminded of the diversity of his design skills,
from consumer electronics to shelving units that, to a piece, look as simple
and fresh today as they did in the decades in which they were designed. I won’t
attempt to write his life story – others have done that far better than I – but
it is good to occasionally review his Ten Principles of Good Design:

As I concluded in that article last year: “So please, spend
some time reading through our blog, and check back often. We know there are
many things we can teach you. And maybe, if we’re successful, we just might
inspire you as well.”

That’s what we do at Graphics Systems. Certainly we love the
best-in-class SolidWorks tools we help you implement, but if we’ve done our
job, we’ve removed the obstructions and let you focus on what you do best –
design.

How do you find inspiration in a field that can sometimes
seem routine? Please share your ideas in the comments below.